PGA Tour Suspends Robert Garrigus for Violating Drug Policy (Marijuana)

[chspeed]

4 minutes ago, David in FL said:

The Tour has set rules with penalties for breaching those rules.

They have set rules, but not set penalties for breaching those rules. Read their policy document.

4 minutes ago, David in FL said:

That’s what all the stoners say!   

😜

Edited March 26, 2019 by chspeed

[NM Golf]

7 minutes ago, David in FL said:

That’s what all the stoners say!   

But yeah, I agree, the perception has definitely changed.  To get back on topic though, it’s moot.  The Tour has set rules with penalties for breaching those rules.  I applaud Garrigus for not whining, and simply accepting responsibility and the consequences for his actions.

😜

Alas, I do not partake for the simple reason that got Garrigus in trouble, it's not allowed. Perhaps the antiquated social norms of yesteryear will eventually loosen their grasps on today's society and marijuana will become accepted like alcohol. Until that time I will have to get by on the contact high emitted by all the young men I encounter perusing the chip aisle at my local 7-11.

[boogielicious]

14 minutes ago, David in FL said:

That’s what all the stoners say!   

But yeah, I agree, the perception has definitely changed.  To get back on topic though, it’s moot.  The Tour has set rules with penalties for breaching those rules.  I applaud Garrigus for not whining, and simply accepting responsibility and the consequences for his actions.

Agree. It is a rule and you must abide by it. If you want to change the rule, then work on that side of the issue.

But I do think this rule will stay around as long as any country the PGA or European Tours play in prohibits it. Singapore has extreme drug laws and there are two pro events there I can think of.

[iacas]

29 minutes ago, chspeed said:

They have set rules, but not set penalties for breaching those rules. Read their policy document.

Correction: they don't have public penalties.

[chspeed]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Correction: they don't have public penalties.

True. Although it's so byzantine, who knows how it's decided and by whom. The Anti-Doping guide says that that cases of Drugs of Abuse violations "shall be referred for evaluation and disciplinary action under the Tournament Regulations for Conduct Unbecoming a Professional. " I can't find those anywhere except for some PGA rules.

 

[iacas]

20 minutes ago, chspeed said:

True. Although it's so byzantine, who knows how it's decided and by whom. The Anti-Doping guide says that that cases of Drugs of Abuse violations "shall be referred for evaluation and disciplinary action under the Tournament Regulations for Conduct Unbecoming a Professional. " I can't find those anywhere except for some PGA rules.

You don't know whether it's byzantine or not.

It may be a simple flow chart, or a chart of another kind where you look up the offense count, the drug, and something else pertinent, and it tells you what the penalty will be.

I think three months is light. The PGA Tour is a business and a lot of that business - a lot of the people who want to do business with the PGA Tour - like the squeaky clean image of the PGA Tour players.

Hell, look at the penalties some NFL players have gotten for smoking weed.

They're hardly seen as the clean-cut type, and yet they were given some pretty severe penalties, too.

[chspeed]

4 minutes ago, iacas said:

I think three months is light. The PGA Tour is a business and a lot of that business - a lot of the people who want to do business with the PGA Tour - like the squeaky clean image of the PGA Tour players. 

Squeaky clean, like Tiger Woods? 😉

[dennyjones]

3 hours ago, NM Golf said:

It's like the little old man who sits on his porch and yells at the neighbor kids to stay off his lawn. 

Curmudgeon.

[lastings]

ugh...  this is just silly.  

1) its a dumb rule and should be abolished.   in both the Olympics and the PGA, literally, everywhere else.   it is much less destructive than alcohol and should in no way be treated with more harsh penalties.  

2) Robert Garrigus is dumb for getting caught.   he knew the rule.  he has a lucrative career on the line here.   

3) from what i have heard, you're given pretty fair warning about the general timeframe on when you are going to be tested.   I'm sure many PGA players smoke weed, and the PGA does not want to catch it's players.  its not good for anyone on either side.  

 

[iacas]

45 minutes ago, chspeed said:

Squeaky clean, like Tiger Woods? 😉

Yeah and what happened then? Massive loss of sponsors, etc. despite him being Tiger Woods!

[lastings]

1 minute ago, iacas said:

Yeah and what happened then? Massive loss of sponsors, etc. despite him being Tiger Woods!

off topic by quite a ways here....   but cheating on your wife with like a thousand Denny's waitresses and getting caught driving when you're too high to know what state you're in isn't exactly analogous to smoking marijuana.  

[chspeed]

16 minutes ago, lastings said:

but cheating on your wife with like a thousand Denny's waitresses and getting caught driving when you're too high to know what state you're in isn't exactly analogous to smoking marijuana.  

 

 

😂

If RG was at Denny's, he was just ordering 3 lumberjack slams. Then driving home at 5 MPH.

Edited March 26, 2019 by chspeed

[Indy-Archer]

5 hours ago, NM Golf said:

My personal beliefs aside I am always one who believes if you know the rules (whether you agree with them or not) and you break them, then you accept any punishment.

I think RG's apology is a bit much, I mean he smoked a joint who gives a shit? I would have had a lot of respect for him if he would have just said "Hey I smoked a bowl with some friends, I got popped, see you in three months." 

I guess I would see it entirely differently. When you are paid by sponsors who expect you to be following the rules for the gobs of cash you get for doing something that many would kill for, then if you get busted for violating standards, I think you owe it to your sponsors to get out ahead of things. When you play in a league or association like the NFL, NBA, PGA, etc., the fact is you don't just represent yourself. Your conduct also reflects on a company. Part of your obligation and loyalty for your sponsor, IMO, would be maintaining a reputation that is helpful to the sponsor rather than harmful. Sure, many people don't have a problem with smoking dope, but many do. NOT doing drugs is never going to hurt your reputation, but getting caught with them in your system will definitely do damage with some element of the fan base. 

[iacas]

48 minutes ago, lastings said:

off topic by quite a ways here....   but cheating on your wife with like a thousand Denny's waitresses and getting caught driving when you're too high to know what state you're in isn't exactly analogous to smoking marijuana.  

I didn’t bring up Tiger.

[downbylaw11]

11 hours ago, iacas said:

What’s progressive about allowing people to get high? It’s just like cigarettes and alcohol.

It’s not as “bad” as some drugs but it’s not great or anything.

I mean, other than the numerous medicinal benefits

[Buckeyebowman]

8 hours ago, Jeremie Boop said:

Not for nothing, but doesn't that work out pretty well for people who were smoking back in the 60s-80s?? **edit** Meaning that it's the same generations of people that used it the most** That puts them 60+ years old and now they get to use it legally for medicinal purposes. Honestly, I think medicinal use is fine, though I really think that it would make way more sense to pull the beneficial chemicals from it to use in pill or liquid form so people can get the help without the high.

Way back in the day, I used to get high on a semi-regular basis. I even read High Times magazine. Occasionally there would be a letter to the Editor about "Crystal T" or supposed crystalline THC that someone was trying to sell them. the mag consistently said that while the technology existed to produce crystalline THC, it would cost thousands of dollars a hit. And still the object was to get high. I don't know that it's economically feasible to do what you are suggesting. 

3 hours ago, chspeed said:

 

 

😂

If RG was at Denny's, he was just ordering 3 lumberjack slams. Then driving home at 5 MPH.

BWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHHHHHH!

ROFLMAO!🤣

Also, here's a little tidbit from today's newspaper. Seems that admissions to hospital ER's in Colorado due to marijuana use are way up! Both inhaled and ingested marijuana have been indicated. Symptoms included repeated vomiting, racing hearts, and psychotic episodes. It did seem that most of these reports stemmed from tourists over indulging. 

[iacas]

2 hours ago, downbylaw11 said:

I mean, other than the numerous medicinal benefits

Almost all of which are over-stated and under-perform targeted, specific drugs.

And, let's be real here - we're not talking about people using them medically. They're "prescribing" it to themselves because they want to get high.

[saevel25]

11 minutes ago, iacas said:

Almost all of which are over-stated and under-perform targeted, specific drugs.

And, let's be real here - we're not talking about people using them medically. They're "prescribing" it to themselves because they want to get high.

I could be wrong, but I believe the getting high part is not even the medical beneficial part of the drug. There are companies now isolating out the properties of Marijuana for people to take for other benefits. 

I am not sure about the effects being overstated. I'll take your word on it.